Testing, teachers at center of education town hall in Las Cruces

State Sen. William Soules, left, fields a question from the audience at Wednesday's education town hall meeting. Irma Valdespino, president of the Classified School Employees Council of Las Cruces, and Patrick Sanchez, president of NEA-Las Cruces, look on.(Photo: Damien Willis / Sun-News)Buy Photo

LAS CRUCES - Educators, parents, administrators, union heads and school employees met with policymakers Wednesday evening at an education town hall at Centennial High School, sponsored by the state and local chapters of the National Education Association, by the Classified School Employees Council, and featuring state Sen. William Soules. Soules, a recently retired lifelong educator, represents Las Cruces and serves as vice-chair of the Senate Education Committee.

The event was designed to be a forum to discuss education policies and issues facing teachers ahead of the 2016 legislative session, according to organizers.

“Especially before a legislative session, it’s important for us to touch base with our legislative leaders, and Bill is certainly one in the field of education that we are concerned with,” said Patrick Sanchez, president of NEA-Las Cruces. “It’s no secret that we’re not happy with the recent trend, since the governor assumed office. She and her secretary of education seem to be running a system that is counter to everything that we believe in.”

Soules fielded questions about right-to-work legislation, complaints about over-testing and concerns about NMTEACH, the Public Education Department’s controversial new teacher evaluation system.

“For New Mexico to succeed, it comes down to three things — education, the economy and jobs,” Soules told the crowd of about 75. “And the three are very closely related. Education is the core of our society and the heart of our democracy.”

Closely tied

“I think that we assume that teachers and politicians work in vacuums when, in reality, they’re very closely tied,” said Lucas Herndon, a Las Cruces parent who attended the town hall. “We send our kids to school every day, and they’re with teachers and the supporting staff at the school. Those jobs are supported by us, as taxpayers. And those taxes are overseen by our elected officials. It’s all tied together, and we need to think about that as parents and as voters.”

Herndon said town hall events like Wednesday’s provide an opportunity to shape policy and learn about the issues.

“Coming out to events like this is the equivalent of going to a City Council meeting for municipal matters,” he said. “These are the places where teachers who are engaged in their careers and invested in the future of education are forming policy and talking to the legislators that are crafting those ideas. As a parent, I’m very concerned about what those ideas are.”

Conversations shape policy

Mary Parr-Sanchez, vice president of NEA-New Mexico, said the idea of the town hall meeting is what democracy is all about.

“The role they play is a very essential, elemental role. The way our democracy got started were these little town hall meetings. A lot of times they were in churches or schools, and they just give local folks a chance to get together and discuss how they feel about things,” Parr-Sanchez said.

Irma Valdespino, president of the Classified School Employees Council of Las Cruces, said this town hall was important for her members —custodians, cafeteria workers and educational assistants.

“It’s important for all educational employees to come out here and hear the senator,” Valdespino said. “People come out, they learn about the issues, and they leave more engaged in the policymaking process.”

Patrick Sanchez said that the upcoming legislative session will be critical for education.

“This legislative session will be a short session, dealing primarily with the budget. We’re chronically underfunded, and we want to get a bigger piece of the pie. We realize that it’s based on the extraction industry, and oil prices are down. But we want to make sure our concerns are heard. We want to be sure they hear us saying, ‘Us too. It’s for the kids.’”

Lawmakers listen

Wednesday’s town hall was also attended by state Rep. Bill McCamley, who told the Sun-News he hoped teachers left feeling more appreciated.

“So many teachers feel like their opinions aren’t being heard,” McCamley said. “You hear certain public officials saying that teachers are lazy, that their job is easy, that anyone can do it. It really makes them feel like they aren’t being treated like professionals. Events like this are important to give them a voice in the process. We want teachers to feel like they’re valued and appreciated — because they are.”

Soules said that meeting with constituents at events like Wednesday’s town hall enables him to better represent them in the state Senate.

“I think it’s important to listen to educators about their questions and concerns, and to provide an opportunity for the local community to learn more about the policies and issues surrounding education,” Soules told the Sun-News after Wednesday’s event.

“I tried to give them some real straight answers as to what’s going on, and where I think that progress can be made. We have a responsibility to listen to the concerns of the public on particular issues. It certainly helps me to know when I’m on the right track with policy,” Soules said.

Damien Willis can be reached at 575-541-5468 or dawillis@lcsun-news.com. Follow him on Twitter @damienwillis.